Form-fitting-boot construction



July 22, 193D. G; 1.. VAN DINTER 1,771,003

FORM FITTING BOOT CONSTRUCTION I Filed Dec. 12. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 0- G. L. VAN DINTER 1,771,003

FORM FITTING BOOT CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 12. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 45 simple construction.

Patented July 22, 1930 Wife A S PATENT ICE-9 GEORGE I1. -VAN DINTER, OF MISHAWAKA, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO MISHAWAKA RUBBER AND WOOLEN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MISHAWAKA, INDIANA, "A

CORPORATION OF INDIANA FomvLFrrr NG-nooT CONSTRUCTION Application filed December 12, 1927. Serial No. 239,385.

ber are usually made large and loose fitting at the angle and instep to permitinserting and. removing the foot, as it is quite dificult to make a boot of this character with a satisfactory expansible angle and instep port-ion which will stand the required usage without developing leaks. It is des'irablehowever to make the boot in a. close fitting form, not only for the sake of improved appearance, but also to hold the boot securelyin place and avoid the discomfort of the foot working "up and down in the boot. WVith my invention this is accomplished, and an expansible ankle and instep construction provided, which will remain waterproof throughoutthelife of the boot.

The principal objects my invention are to provide an improved form fitting boot; to insure a substantial and effective waterproof construction at the angleandiinstep which permits enlargement atthis point foria-pply mg and removing the boot; to construct the ankle and instep portion of the boot with an expansible pouch-like closure havingflaps with a detachable connection for fitting the boot around the ankle and instep; to utilize a special form of closing member at the ankle and instep, which folds into a compact and comfortable form and permits enlargement without stretching or other strains which might impair its water resisting character; to provide an improved method of building an expansible waterproof structure into the boot; and in general, to provide a neat, attractiveand substantial form fitting boot of On the drawings: p I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a boot embodying my improvements; a

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the fiomanner of buildingup the boot onthe last or form, the upper portion of the last and boot structure being broken away; Fig. 3"is an enlarged sectional view'of the closed front of theboot, taken substantially on the line 3+3 of Fig. 1, but showing parts lifted away from their usual olosefittingposition to more clearly disclose the construction; Fig. 4 isa plan view of one of the halfsec tions or quarters of the bootlining having the upper part broken away; e Fig. 5 is a front view of the expansible closing member partially assembled and with a portion broken away .to disclose detailsof the construction;

Fig. 6 is a sectional viewflon theline16 '6 ofFig.5; e e Fig. 7 ista plan view. of one of the front halves of the expansible closing member.

1 Fig. 8. is a plan view of the cap wliicliiseniployed to reinforce the connections at the lower end of the expansible instep portion 9 is a fragmentary front view showing the initial step in assembling the boot lining and expansible instep closure; and Fig. 10 is a similar view showing a subsequent' step in the assembling of the expan sible'instepclosing parts 7 Referring to the drawings, which show 'my invention applied'to' a boot'of knee length, although it is of course intended for use with boots of otherlengths, the reference numeral 1 indicates the'boot as a whole which is di"- vi'ded along the line 2 overfthe ankle and instep to form a pair of separable flaps 3 and 4, which are detaohably connected in the closed form fitting position by buckles 5 of a well known form or these flaps may be connected with any othersuitable type of fastening devices. The flaps 3 and 4 are flared at their lower ends as indicated 'at"6 and 7 respectively, forming a blucher type of opening, and the vamp of the boot is provided with an extension 8 running up to and secured to the front wall of the boot at the upper end of the opening 2," said extension being provided at eachv side with inturned flaps 9 and '10 respectively, which are secured along their outer edges to the corresponding edgesof the vamp extension 8. The inner edges of these 'flaps '9 and '10 are secured respectively to the inner edges of the boot flaps 3 and 4. The vamp extension 8 and side flaps 9 and 10 thus form, in effect, an elongated pouch, which is slit down the front, and when the inner edges of the pouch flaps 9 and 10 are secured to the inner edges of the boot flaps 3 and 4, forms an expansible closing member which seals the opening afforded by the separable boot flaps 3 and 4, and at the same time permits separation of the boot flaps 3 and 4 and enlargement of the boot at the ankle and the instep for inserting and removing the foot.

As a further means of affording a close fitting of a boot of the knee length type, the latter may be provided at the upper end with a slit 11 and a strap and buckle fastener 12, or other suitable fastener for detachably connecting the portions of the upper at opposite sides of the slit 11, and the edges of the upper at opposite sides of the slit 11 are connected by a gore 13, which permits any desired expansion of the upper and folds down flat against the leg when the portions at opposite sides of the slit 11 are connected together.

While this construction may be used for any type of boot, it is particularly useful in connection with rubber boots, as it affords an .expansible ankle and instep portion which will stand up under conditions of use to which rubber boots are subjected, without developing leaks which would impair the usefulness of the boot.

In making up a rubber boot with this ankle and instep construction, I prefer to proceed in the following manner: A pair of similar half sections of lining or quarters 14 of the form shown in Fig. 4 (which however has the upper portion broken away) are prepared and have the edges 15 of the toe portion secured together by a tape 16 or in other convenient manner. A vamp extension 8 of rubber composition, which forms the back wall of the pouch or closing member, is prepared in substantially the form shown in Fig. 5, and has a lining 17 of fabric adhesively secured to the back thereof, said lining being of somewhat smaller size than the vamp extension 8 to leave a marginal edge 18 of the vamp extension 8 exposed on the under side. A pair of side flaps 9 arid 10 of rubber composition with fabric facing 19 (see Fig. 6) are then laid over the vamp section 8 or back member of the pouch or closing member, and have their marginal edges turned in under and secured to a marginal edge of the vamp extension 8 as indicated in Fig. 6, said flaps 9 and 10 being arranged so that they meet substantially along the longitudinal axis of the vamp extension 8, and these flaps 9 and 10 have their lower ends reversely flared as indicated at 20 and 21 respectively to correspond to the blucher form or flaring arrangement 6 and 7 of the boot flaps 3 and 4:.

After the pouch-like closing member has been prepared in this manner, the rounded lower end thereof between the points :c% in Fig. 5 is laid over and secured to the upper end of the joined together toe portions of the lining 14-14 as shown in Fig. 9, so that the points ac-w of the closing member register with the points y-y of the assembled lining, whereupon the edge portions of the two parts of the lining from the point y to approximately the point z of Fig. 1 are laid over and secured to the edges of the respective flaps 9 and 10. The forward edges of the two lining sections l-l l at the upper end of the closing member and therebeyond to the top of the boot are then arranged edge to edge and secured together by a tape 22, and the pouch-like closing member is also temporarily closed by bringing the edges of the lining section 1414 and with them the edges of the pouch flaps 9 and 10 together, as shown in Fig. 2 and applying a tape 23 across the meeting edges.

For reinforcing and insuring a thorough sealing of the connections between the various parts at the lower end of the closing member, a cap 24 of rubber composition of substantially the form shown in Fig. 8 is applied as shown in Fig. 2, so that it extends well down below and above the juncture line of the vamp portion of the lining sections 1414; and the vamp extension 8, while the side lobes 25 of the cap 24: are folded over the lower ends of the side flaps 9 and 10 and the overlying portions of the lining around the points 412-7 so that the corner connections of the flaps with the vamp portion of the shoe are well protected and thoroughly sealed against possibility of leakage.

After the lining and pocket closing member has been prepared, as above described, the assembled structure is stretched around a last 26, as indicated in Fig. 2, and the edges of the lining sections 1414 are brought together at the back and secured together in any convenient manner, as by overlapping and cementing or taping. After the lining has been applied on the last, the sole is built up in the usual manner, and the facing 27 of rubber composition applied over the lining to complete the upper, said facing being preferably provided with a pointed portion which fits up between the curved lower ends 6 and 7 of the side flaps 3 and 4, as indicated by dotted lines at 28 in Fig. 1, and the facing on the side flaps 3 and a being continuous across the line of separation 2, so that the side flaps 3 and 4 are joined together by the facing, the line of division being preferably marked by a score line which terminates near the upper end of the pocket or closing member, while the side portions of'the upperthereabove are ing the facing 27 and the tape 23 are slit along the line 2 up to the'lower end of the reinforcing 29, so that the side flaps 3 andl may be separated to, expand the ankle and instep portion of the boot for applying and removing. The fasteners 5 may be attached in any convenient manner, preferably {by means ,of tabs which are arranged in place before the boot is vulcanized, or any other desired type of fastener may be employed, the essential requirement being the provision of the boot with a serviceable and thoroughly waterproof expansible portion at the ankle and instep which is sufficiently strong and durable to avoid the necessity of making rubber boots in a loose fitting form.

While I haveshown and described my in vention in a preferred form, I am aware that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the principles of myinvention, the scope of which is to be determined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of making a boot with an expansible instep which comprises forming an elongatedpouch with a longitudinal slit in the front wall and a closed upper end, securing thequarters of the lining to the edges of the slit and to the closed upper end of the pouch, temporarily closing the slit, then applying the lining and pouch on a last, then securingfacing material over the lining and across the closed slit and upwardly therefrom and then dividing the facing material and the temporary closure along the line of the slit approximately to the upper end of the pouch and leaving an undivided portion of the facing therebeyond.

2. The method of making a boot with an expansible instep which comprises forming an elongated pouch with a front and back wall, securing the boot lining to the front wall of the pouch so that the latter is spaced from the upper andlower ends of the lining, then applying the facing over the lining and across the front wall of the pouch, and then slitting the facing and the front wall of the pouch midway between the lateral edges of the latter and terminating the slit below the upper end of the pouch.

3. The method of forming a boot with an expansible instep portion which comprises forming an elongated elliptical member and a pair of elongated semi-elliptical members, then securing the semi-elliptical member's respectively to the lateral edges of the elongated elliptical member so asto form a divided front wall over the elongated elliptical member, then securing the lining'to theinner edges of the semi-elliptical members and connecting said edges, then applying a facing over the lining and across the slit,and then slitting the facing and disconnecting the edges of the semi elliptical members.

' 4:. The method of making a boot with an expansible instep portion, which comprises building an elongated laterally expansible pocket member onto the inner side of-the 7 attheir lower ends, and building the pocket onto the inner side of the front wallof a boot having a flaring formation overlying the flared lower ends of the side flaps of th'epocket, and then vulcani'zing the assembled struck ture on alast j r ed back wall and overlying side flapsflared 6. The method of making a form fitting I rubber boot which consists in interposing between the front wall of the boot and a last, a pouch like member terminating below the top' of the boot and consisting of a fabric reinforced back wall with inwardly extending side flaps of fabric reinforced rubber composition thereover and flared at their lower] ends, then vulcanizing the assembled structure on the last, and then dividing the front wall along the line of separation of the pocket side flaps.

"Z. The method of making aformfitting boot WlllCll'QODSlSlZS in assembling apouch of rubber composition w th side walls flared at their lower ends on theinner side of the front wall of a boot having a correspondingly flared portion, then applying'a reinforcing of rubber compositionjat the outer eX- tremities of the flared portions ofthe pocket and front wall of the boot, and then Vulcan izing the assembled structure on a last.

'8. The methodof making a boot with an expansible portion at the ankle and instep, which comprises building an elongated laterally. expansible pocket member of rubber composition ontothe inner side of the rubber composition wall oftheboot, then vulcaniz ing the pocket member in a-closed position between the wall of the boot and a last, and

then slitting the portion of the wall overlying the pocket member longitudinally of the boot and between the ends of the pocket member and leavingan unslitted portion of'the' bootwall beyond the upper end of the slit. 9. The method of making arubber boo-t with an expansible instep portion which cemprises vulcanizing a pocket member to the under side of a portion of the boot wall remote from the upper end thereof, then slitting the boot wall portion over the pocket so that the upper end of the slit terminates at or below the upper end of the pocket.

10. The method of making a rubber boot with an expansible instep portion which comprises vulcanizing a central longitudinal portion of the front wall of an elongated pocket member to the under side of a portion of the front wall of the boot remote from the upper end thereof, then slitting the front wall of the boot along said central longitudinal portion of the pocket front wall so that the upper end of the slit terminates at or below the upper end of the pocket.

11. The method of providing a rubber boot, having separable flaps of the blucher type spaced from the upper end of the boot and dc fining a transversely extending opening at the bottoms of the flaps, with an expansible instep portion, which comprises vulcanizing the front wall of an elongated pocket member having a closed top end and an open bottom end to the under side of the instep portion of the boot wall and below the top of the boot, and vulcanizing the lower open end of the pocket member to the margin of the transversely extending opening in the boot wall defined by the lower end portion of the flaps.

12. The method of making a rubber boot, having separable flaps of the blucher type spaced from the upper end of the boot and defining a transversely extending opening at the bottoms of the flaps, with an expansible instep portion, which comprises building onto the under side of the separable blucher flaps of the boot wall a pocket member having its front wall divided along the line of separation of said flaps and having its lower end opening through the transversely eX- tending opening in the bootwall at and defined by the lower ends of the flaps, vulcanizing the assembled structure on a last, and then slitting the boot wall along the length of the pocket from the open lower end of the pocket to the upper end thereof.

13. The method of making a rubber boot of the class described which comprises assembling a pocket member, which has a front wall with a pair of elongated flap portions joined together at the upper ends and flared at their lower ends, under a similar pair of elongated instep flap portions of the boot wall, then vulcanizing the corresponding boot wall and pocket flaps together along their inner edges and permanently shaping the pocket and the said instep flap portions of the boot wall in compact superposed nested relation and in corresponding transversely arched and longitudinally curved form. a

14. The method of making a rubber boot with an expansible instep portion which ineludes providing, on the underside of an instep portion of the boot wall remote from the upper end thereof, a pocket member with front and back rubber composition walls connected together at the sides and at the top of the pocket, then vulcanizing the assembled structure on a last, and then slitting the assembled structure at the front of andv between the top and bottom ends of the pocket me1nher to form separable with an opening therebetween leading into the interior of the pocket member.

GEORGE L. VAN DINTER. 

